Advertisements

Preparation

For stuffing:

Pulse bacon several times in a food processor to coarsely chop. Scrape into a large skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until bacon is browned but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel¿lined plate to drain. Pour off and reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings for another use. Return pan to medium heat. Add celery, shallots, and garlic; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and crème fraîche; cook, stirring occasionally, 2¿3 minutes longer. Scrape mixture into a medium bowl.

Stir breadcrumbs, scallions, sage, thyme, and nutmeg into stuffing mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Stir in eggs. Spread stuffing out on a rimmed baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until stuffing is firm, about 1 hour.

For roast:

Let meat stand at room temperature for 4 hours.

Arrange a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Set a V-shaped rack inside a large roasting pan. Place roast on a work surface with bones standing straight up. Using a knife, cut along bones so only 1" of meat is attached at base of bones.

Pull bones away from meat to create a 3"¿4"-wide pocket at the top. Lightly pack stuffing into pocket. Starting at one end, tie kitchen twine horizontally around the bones to keep them in place and secure the stuffing. Tie the roast vertically between each bone.

Season the roast (including the bones) generously with salt and pepper, rub with oil, and sprinkle with thyme. Place roast, bones facing up, in prepared pan; wrap bone tips in foil to prevent burning.

Roast beef for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue roasting for about 3 hours—beginning to probe center of roast at the 2-hour mark—until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of roast registers 110°F¿115°F for rare and 120°F¿125°F for medium-rare.

Transfer the roast to a carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. Remove the twine.

Carving option 1: Cut between the ribs to make 5 large bone-in steaks to be shared.

Carving option 2: Spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Slice off rib rack by cutting through strip of meat at base of bones. Slice between bones and transfer ribs to a platter. Place meat on a work surface; cut into 1/4"¿1/2"-thick slices. Transfer slices to platter with ribs and serve with small spoonfuls of stuffing on the side.